Monday, November 28, 2016

Drank more wine than you intended? Ate a few too many cheese cubes, cake slices, or servings of mashed potatoes? Here's how to safely recover from a binge, according to the experts.

No, you definitely should not do a full 24-hour juice cleanse—but there’s nothing wrong with having an extra-low-calorie day after a night of bingeing on unhealthy food and beverages, says F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, MD, an obesity expert at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. "It won’t negatively impact your metabolism. You won’t be starved," he says. "It’s just one day."

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Like many nail polish lovers, I rarely wear makeup, New Years Eve is an exception. It’s the biggest party of the year, so it’s obligatory to look fabulous! Plus, there is an old Russian superstition that the way you spend New Years Eve is the way you’ll spend the rest of the year. Drinking champagne while looking fabulous for a year? I’m fine with that! ;)

Saturday, November 26, 2016

If you are going to overeat, there’s something you can do to protect against the negative effects.

Photo: Getty Images

When it comes to holiday weight gain, the problem isn’t just one or two big meals; it’s the drawn-out stream of constant parties, cookies, dinners, leftovers, and “special occasions” throughout the entire season. Even just a few days of overindulging can have real effects—not just on your waistline, but on other ways overdoing it can affect your body, as well.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

You can make your face look younger with makeup, dye your hair to cover the greys but what can you do to improve the appearance of hands? Well, actually quite a lot if you start early! This may not be a huge concern when you’re 18 but believe me, when you pass 25, your concerns start to rise with every new spot and wrinkle. Of course it’s impossible to stay forever young, but there are plenty of things that can be done to prolong the youth of your hard working hands.

Add these ingredients and cooking methods to your feast to enjoy those classic dishes the healthy way.

Healthy holiday food swaps

Creamy, buttery foods have a way of creeping back into our diets during the holidays, so it's no wonder that the average American gains 1 to 2 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. And yeah, we know—there’s nothing like your mom’s green bean casserole or pumpkin pie to satisfy your comfort food cravings. Still, there are tiny tweaks you can make to your menu that cut calories and unhealthy fats without sacrificing taste. Registered dietitians and Health's food director reveal the ingredient swaps they use to transform diet disasters into healthy, yet flavorful holiday meals.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

This type of intermittent fasting boosted metabolism and cut cravings—but at least one expert has her doubts.

Eating all your meals within a six-hour window sounds like some sort of fad diet (and a recipe for midnight fridge raids). But new research study suggests that having your dinner before 2 p.m.(!)—or skipping it entirely—actually reduces hunger cravings and boosts fat burn. Before you sign on for the super early–bird special, however, here’s what you should know.

Monday, November 14, 2016

A few months ago, a reader asked me if I had any tips on how to stop biting nails. As a reformed nail biter, a rush of memories flooded my mind. Although I could bite my nails so neat and straight you’d never guess it wasn’t scissors, the downside was short, damaged nails. Of course, I tried hard to overcome the habit. There were endless treatments, parental punishment and flak from my friends but nothing worked. Until one day, I had an epiphany and I decided to end this habit once and for all.

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Some of the causes of gray hair have nothing to do with your genes

Hate to break it to you, but some day, you're going to start sprouting white hairs (that is, if you haven't already). Most people spot their first silvery strands in their 30s, but when exactly you go gray boils down to your ethnicity—Caucasians tend to do so earlier than African Americans, for example—and your family history.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Runny nose, congestion, sore throat, sneezing. Yep, sounds like it could be a cold. While cold symptoms vary (and can also include headaches and fever), all colds are respiratory infections caused by more than 200 possible viruses. With so many viruses waiting to take hold, another way of thinking of it is that a cold is caused by a weak immune system that allows the virus to set in. “There’s no magic superfood for combatting the common cold. However, there are numerous foods and nutrients that can play helpful roles in prevention or treatment of it. This lends support to the popular nutrition approach of enjoying a variety of foods,” says Jackie Newgent, RDN, chef, nutritionist and author of “The With or Without Meat Cookbook.” From sardines to mushrooms to wine -- try including a variety of these seven foods in your diet to maintain (or regain) a healthy immune system.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Are your sunglasses protecting your eyes from damaging UV rays? If you have had your current shades for a while, the UV protection may be fading, researchers say.

Even if you love your current sunglasses, you still might need a new pair of shades. It seems sunglasses’ UV protection may deteriorate over time, and current industry tests are not sufficient for determining how long it’s safe to wear them, according to a study from Brazil.

Most Brazilians wear the same pair every day for about two years, the study notes, yet it has not been proven that lenses maintain the same level of protection after that type of exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The findings may have implications for the sunglass industry in the United States, as well. There is no current recommendation for when, exactly, people should retire their old pairs—and protecting eyes from the sun is important anywhere in the world, as UV exposure can lead to cataracts, retina damage, and other long-term eye problems and vision loss.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Black is back and it’s hotter than ever. You can wear it on your lips, nails or both. I’ve been a fan of black lips ever since I started wearing makeup. I even recall using black pencil to get the black lip look that matched my black nails when I was in high school and then getting detention for “inappropriate behavior”. Alas, my teachers could not foresee that 20 years later, black lipstick would return.

Here are all the ways your health suffers within the first two months of not working out.

There comes a point in almost every fitness lover's life when they consider throwing in the towel after a workout—both figuratively and literally. Blame it on your looming work deadlines, or the stubborn needle on the scale, or even just plain old boredom.

Friday, November 4, 2016

As a $26 million settlement over Wen hair products moves forward, we asked dermatologists to weigh in on the safety of cleansing conditioners in general.

Last year, a group of 200 women in 40 states filed a class action lawsuit alleging the cleansing conditioner from Wen by Chaz Dean caused scary side effects, from scalp irritation to hair loss.

This past Monday, a federal judge in Los Angeles gave preliminary approval to a $26.3 million settlement for the suit against celebrity stylist Chaz Dean and Wen distributor Guthy-Renker. If approved by a United States district judge, customers who had adverse reactions could receive up to $20,000.

THURSDAY, Sept. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News)—Negative experiences on Facebook can increase the odds of depression in young people, a new study found.

"It's important that people take interactions on social media seriously and don't think of it as somehow less impactful because it's a virtual experience as opposed to an in-person experience," said study author Samantha Rosenthal. She is an epidemiology research associate at Brown University's School of Public Health in Providence, R.I.

A new report sheds light on how your daily trek to work can affect your waistline, stress levels, and more.

Getting from your home to your office and back again is a major part of daily life, but the act of commuting may be even more important than we realize. According to a new report, longer commutes may be detrimental to your health.

New research indicates a hormone released during exercise actually stops new fat cells from forming.

Exercise does more than just tone muscle and burn calories in the moment: New research shows that a hormone released during exercise actually helps the body shed fat and keep it off.

The hormone, called irisin, has been shown to play a role in transforming energy-storing white fat cells into energy-burning brown fat cells—a process scientists call “browning.” Now, University of Florida scientists say that irisinhelps inhibit the formation of new fatty tissue, as well.

These findings highlight a new and additional benefit of physical activity, said co-author Li-Jun Yang, MD, a professor of hematopathology in the University of Florida College of Medicine, in a press release, because irisin levels are believed to surge when the heart and other muscles are exerted. (In addition to exercise, studies show that shivering can trigger irisin production, as well.)

Need motivation to get to bed earlier? Researchers have calculated the precise effect of sleep deprivation on calorie consumption.

Photo: Getty Images

Have you ever noticed that the less you sleep, the more hungry you feel the next day? Research suggests that this is indeed true. But you might not realize how many extra calories you’re taking in (spoiler: it's more than you'd think).

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Contouring and highlighting go hand in hand, and they can be thought of as the two principal ingredients in a cake that just won’t sit well without each other. Before you begin, we must tell you that there is a fine matted line between playing up your best features and caking your face with bronzer and powder. You need to understand that perfect contouring is the art of subtlety, and it allows you to chisel out your cheekbones, give your nose a slimming effect and sculpt your face for a camera ready moment.

Are you tired of being tired? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans report feeling tired during the day. In most cases, this issue can be attributed to lifestyle factors. Here are ten bad habits that drain your energy.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Are you cutting down on carbs? If you’re focused on building or maintaining muscle, you may be interested in upping protein rather than carbohydrates as the base of your breakfast. Plus, if you tend to overeat carbs later in the day, it can be a good idea to start with a low-carb breakfast. Whatever your reasons, you’ll love digging into any of these 10 tasty dishes. Each provides about 20 grams or less total carbohydrates. Eggs are definitely a mainstay of the carb-friendly breakfast, and you’ll find four intriguing egg options here. But you can keep your carbs in check without eggs by picking any of the other recipes, which range from savory yogurt preparations to vegan hash.